Improvement in turbine water-wheels



P. W. YARRELL.

Turbine Water-Wheels.

No. 135,459. Ptenfed Feb. 4,1873.

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.4M moro-umasnAfH/c ca Mx (08am/'Ek mums) UNITED STATE @Futon IMPROVEMENT IN TURBlNE WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming pari of Letters Patent No. 135,459, dated February 4, 1873.

To all whom it 'may concern:

vBe it known that I, PIERCE W. YARRELL, of Garysburg, in the county of Northampton and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oomet Turbine Water-Wheels, of which the fol lowing is a specification:

This invention has for its object to improve upon that class of waterwheels known as turbines, so as to dispense with the complicated mechanism now generally employed in their construction and for supporting the wheel, and at the same time produce a turbine that will always retain itself in an equipoised or counterbalanced position, and that will transmit great power with a less quantity of water than that now required for a rstclass turbine. My invention consists, first, in forming the case of a turbine water-wheel of a dome or semi-spherical shape, and providing` the same with a series of chutes projectingin-` wardly; said case being so formed as to cover the wheel, and serving to support the same in a true horizontal position, through the medium of a vertical shaft passing through its centerhaving a collar which rests on the outside top portion of the said dome; second, in providing asemi-spherical'case for turbine Water-wheels with double ban d-gates upon its periphery, each of which is provided with a rack for gearing with a pinion or spur wheel, in such a manner that when a rotating motion is imparted to the latter the band-gates will be opened or closed for the purpose of regulating the water passing between the gates, through the chutes into the buckets of the wheel 5 third, in forming or providing the wheel with a dome, a portion of which extends down over and covers about one-third of the periphery of the upper portion of the buckets, the said wheel having on its periphery, near the bottom, a belt or band, so as to cover about one-third of the periphery of the lower portion of the buckets, the whole being connected with the dome by an finternal annular wall, so that an intermediate space is created between the lower belt or band and the upper portion of the dome for the entrance of water from the chutes into the buckets, the sides of the buckets converging toward the center where they form a U or V shaped seat, against which the water exerts its utmost force when it rebounds,

passing back along the inclined sides of the buckets, part descending vertically through the buckets into the tail-race, while that portion which ascends passes between the upper portion of the buckets and descends into the tail-race through the annular or cylindrical chamber of the wheel or dome 5 fourth, in suspending a turbine-wheel upon the end of a shaft which has its bearing upon the outside top portion of a dome or semi-spherical shaped case, whereby are dispensed with all steps or bearings below the wheel. y

In the accompanying drawing, Figure lis a vertical central section of my improved turbine-wheel combined with its dome and arranged in a semiespherical case. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the domefwheel detached. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line o: of Fig. 1, showing my improved Wheel applied to a double scroll-case. Fig. et is a side view of the double band-gates, showing the same opened to the left and closed to theright. Fig'. 5 is a perspective view of the wheel and its buckets, showing the position of the latter and the space created between the bands or belts of the dome.

The letter A designates a dome or semispherical case made in one piece or in sections, when desired, and united in any suitable manner, and is specially designed for turbine water-wheels. This case is divided into two pon tionsa top, B, and bottom C-each portion being cast or provided with the inwardly-projecting annular plates a b, the two being con` nected together by the partition-plates c c, forming the chutes of the case. 'The bottom portion C of the case is provided with laterally-projecting lugs or flange cl for bolting down the case to any suitable foundation, while the top portion of the dome is provided with an opening, e, through which passes a vertical shaft, l), having collars E E', preferably adjustable, the former serving as a bearing for the shaft while the latter prevents any upwardV movement of the same, both for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. This dome or sphen ical case A is provided with a double bandgate, I I, each of -which for a suitable distance on its outside surface is formed or provided with teeth, into which meshes or gears a pinion or spur-wheel, I', operated by. a vertical rod, J, in such a manner that when a rotating la i 135,459

motion is imparted to the said gear-wheel the said band-gates will open and close for the purpose of regulating the supply of water through the chutes into the buckets of the wheel, the space created and the water voided into the chutes by such operation of the gates being equal throughout the circumference of the dome-case, by means of slots and lugs h t', as shown in Fig. 4. The turbine Wheel F is formed or provided with the dome Gr, and has an opening, K, to receive the end of the shaft D, the same being rigidly secured in place by keys or wedges, by which means the entire wheel with its buckets is suspended,

the shaft having its bearing upon the outside of the dome-case through the medium of a collar or sleeve, E, which, in most instances, will be made adjustable upon the shaft, so as to enable the shaftto be adjusted to compensate for wearing of the bearing-points, so that the whole can be raised and lowered, and the buckets be made to coincide with the chutes in their true yand proper position. To prevent any upward tendency of thc shaft supporting the wheel, a collar, E', may be arranged upon the saine inside of the dome-case, as in Fig. 1. N is the hollow cylinder or annular wall of the wheel connected with the portion f of the dome Gr by means of the buckets M, the portion f extending down over and covering about one-third of the upper portion of the buckets, while the lower portions of the buckets are covered by a band or belt, g, extending from the bottom of the wheel about one-third distance toward the center, by which construction an intermediate space or waterentranee, o, is produced at or about the center of the wheel, so that when water is admitted between the bandgates into and through the chutes, and into the buckets M through the space or entrance o, the same will exert its utmost force directly upon the inclined walls of the U-or V shaped seats M N of the buckets, imparting a true horizontal and powerful rotating motion to the wheel, when the water, rebounding, exerts an equal force vertically up and down, so as to counterbalance the action imparted upon the wheel, keeping the same in a smooth, true, and cquipoised position in its revolution. One column or portion of water after thus utilized is voided vertically into the tail-race between the buckets below, while the ascending columnor portion is voided at the upper part of the buckets, and descends vertically into the tail-race through the hollow cylinder P of the wheel. as indicated by the arrows in the sev` eral igures.

This wheel is specially adapted for use in any ordinary pen-stock,77 and is also applicable to be used in connection with a single scroll or a double scroll-case, as in Fig. 3, in which cases the wheel and shaft are supported by arms, as in my Letters Patent dated Marcli 14, 1871.

It is evident from the above description that the dome or spherical case together with the chute may be formed in one piece, and likewise the wheel, the buckets, and the dome may be similarly formed without any departure from my invention.

1. The dome-shaped case A formed or pro vided with the series of internal chutes, as set forth, and supporting a shaft, D, carrying a turbine wheel, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The double band-gates provided with gear-teeth, and arranged upon the outsidefof the case A, in combination with the pinion or spur wheel I', rod J, and a series .of chutes; substantially as described.

3. The bands f g arranged upon the buckets, at the bottom and top of the wheel F, so as to create the intermediate space or entrance o, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The turbine wheel F suspended by the dome G from the end of a vertical shaft, l), which has its bearing above the wheel, substantially as described. M

5. The dome Gr, in combination with U or V shaped buckets M N and bottom and top coverings or bands fg, substantially as deA scribed. l

6. In a turbine wheel, the dome G, wheel F, and annular chamber P, in combination with U or V shaped buckets, a series of chutes and a double band-gate, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the lforegoing I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of August, 1872.

P. W. YARRELL. g

Witnesses:

JAMES L. N oRRrs, A. H. NoRRIs. 

